Means and method for construction of hydraulic channels

ABSTRACT

A means and method for constructing hydraulic channels of semicircular or circular cross section is provided where two parallel lines define side edges of the channel. Guide means are mounted on the parallel lines forming a track for a set of wheels and a mobile carriage having wheels is positioned on the guide means. The carriage carries a shaft tube positioned parallel to the two parallel lines and lying in a position corresponding to the axis of the channel to be formed. The shaft tube mounts means for digging of the channel by motion in planes perpendicular to the axis whereby earth or other dug materials can be dropped to the side of the parallel lines.

United States Patent [72] Inventor ManuclB.ySebastian Virgcn Maria 7, Madrid, Spain [2|] Appl. No. 845,344 [22] Filed July 28, 1969 I. I Division of Ser. No. 661,627, Aug. 8, 1967,

Pat. No. 3.49M, which is a continuationin-part of Ser. No. 584,649, Oct. 6, 1966,

abandoned. [45] Patented Aug. 10, I971 [32] Priority Oct. 22,1965 [33] Spain [3i 1 318.827

[54] MEANS AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC CHANNELS 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 61/63 [51] Int. Cl. E0211 5/02 [50] FieldofSear-ch 6l/63,7, 85, 45, 42; 94/46 Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor Attorney-Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks ABSTRACT: A means and method for constructing hydraulic channels of semicircular or circular cross section is provided where two parallel lines define side edges of the channel. Guide means are mounted on the parallel lines forming a track for a set of wheels and a mobile carriage having wheels is positioned on the guide means. The carriage carries a shaft tube positioned parallel to the two parallel lines and lying in aposition corresponding to the axis of the channel to be formed. The shaft tube mounts means for digging of the channel by motion in planes perpendicular to the axis whereby earth or ciyther dug materials can be dropped to the side of the parallel l nes.

Patented Aug. 10, 1971 I 3,597,932

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MZJINVENTOR. 9 500% Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 9mg?! WWW 36m Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EH25 aw atransverse strip. 1

MEANS ND METHO Eon CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC CHANNELS RELATED APPLICATIONS This application isa division of applicant's pending U.S. ap- I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION) A variety of fluid-conducting channels are well known for passage of fluids in a. varietyof applications throughout the world. There has been considerably difficulty :however in forming channels such as open channels with .circular or semicircular cross sections particularly when a coating of cement or. concrete is used as a liner. Difficulties have been encountered in forming such constructions economically. This is particularly due to the fact that vibrating of concrete on the surface of semicircular channels has been difficult particularly since portionsof the surfaces would be between 45 and 90 relative to the horizontal. Thus, the prior art has often turned to the use of rectangular channels and/or preformed piping.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, hydraulic channels having semicircular cross sections are constructed between two means for removing earth underlying thcshaft and carrying it v 2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the drawing and more particularly with referenceto FIGS. 1 and 2, a bridge cart 50 is shown which is positioned in the ground 51' as shown by first establishing a sidewalk in the ground on either side of a semicircular channel to be dug with parallel longitudinally extending edges andpositioning the bridge cart as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The initial positioning can be carried out bymerely digging out a hole in the ground in the most economical manner.

Thick wooden or other boards 10' are lined in parallel and commercially known rails or forms 11 which may have a U shape are positioned over the parallel boards 10" parallel to each other. Of course any type of slide or rail can be used to guide the bridge cart 50' in place of the rails 1 1.

On the parallel rails on both sidewalks the bridge cart 50 is then placed. The cart 50 has an underframe l which can be constructed of steel, wood or other rigid material having at v least two wheels and preferably two sets of wheels 2 on each side positioned in the guide rails l 1 so that the bridge cart can be moved easily longitudinally of the channel formed. Preferably each of the rotating supports is formed of small carriages of two wheels 2 each united by a central and vertical axle 3 to one of the extreme ends of the underframe 1. Each of substantially transversely to the axis of the shaft as during rotation of the shaft whereby earth dug up can be dropped on There are many advantages to the use of a semicircular cross section opened hydraulic channel. Savings can be made in the amount of material necessarily removed because of the use of the circular cross sectionas compared with cross sections of equal size in other forms such as rectangles or cubes. The semicircular form produces minimum loads on the terrain and embankments in which the channel is constructed simplifying construction. With the semicircular configuration, the eoeffieient of friction of water with a cement coating .is reduced as compared to other cross sections permitting larger waterflow in equal-dimensioned cross sections. The weight of the fluid carried in the channel has better distribution in the terrain permitting savings in the planning and construction of channels in passing through various types of terrain.

By the'use of the method and apparatus of this invention, a mechanized process can be carried out on large-scale operathe vertical axles 3 is adjustable in height in the extreme ends of the under-frame in order to be able to put the bridge cart on a desired level and to give it a determined height according to the configuration of the channel to be formed. The main purpose of the underframe is to support a horizontal shaft which preferably comprises a shaft tube 4 coinciding with the geometric axis of the semicircular cylindrical section of the channel which is to be constructed. h

After the bridge cart is positioned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tubular shaft 4 is horizontal and parallel tothe rails 11 and more particularly the extreme top edges of the channel to be formed. A plurality of radially extending support rods 6 are provided having adjustable crosscutters 6 on their extreme ends with the support rod 6 fixedly attached to the rotatable tubular shaft4. Axially spaced from the support rods 6 are another set of similar support rods 7 which carry at their ends scoops 7 for extracting theamount of earth which is taken out of the channel and cut by the crosscutters 6 when the rotary shaft tube which is in turn mounted in suitable bearings is rotated thereby rotating the crosscutting elements 6' as well as the scoops 7' about the central, axis defined by the tubular shaft 4. The tubular shaft is turned by a gear 9 linked to an electric motor 12 through a speed-reducing gearbox l3 and a simple clutch 14. which can be manually operated as desired. As best seen in FIG. 1, the scoops 7' have bottom openings when in their uppermost position enabling earth cut by the crosscutters 6 to be picked up when the scoops are adjacent the ground as shownin FIG. 2 and released onto an endless conveyor belt 16when in the uppermost position. The endless ti'ons makingit easy to achieve homogeneity of the quality of v concretelining material used. Hard packing of underlying ground can be achievedwith a selected layer of lining materials in the channels with a minimum oflabor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING v The above and other features and advantages of the resent invention will be better understood from the following specification and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a semidiagrammatic side view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus useful in he present invention;

FIG. Z is a semidiagrammatic view thereof taken through line 2-2,;

FIG. 3 is a semidiagrammatic side view of an alternate em- 'bodiment thereof; and

belt 16 is driven by the shaft 13. through a pulley arrangement 16'. Thus when earth is dropped through hopper 15 onto the endless belt 16, loose material of the dug earth is carried tra'nsversely as shown in FIG. 2 and piled in a preselected location as at 17.

It is important'that the position of the tubular shaft 4 be maintained coinciding with the geometric axis of the cross section to be dug. This can easily be maintained. by holding a fixed cord 5 passing axially within the tube. The cord 5 or FIG. 4 is a semidiagrammatic view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 taken through line 4-4.

other guide central member canbe positioned by placing two nonflexible members perpendicular to the two sidewalks 10 'with the cord:5 being attached thereto at either end. Of course ment or other liner for the semicircular cross section conduit. The cart 51 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is generally similar to cart 50 and in fact cart 50 can be adapted by change of the crosscutters and scoops to perform the function of cart 51. Cart 51 has an underframe shown at 18a and is equipped with a tubular shaft 4a positioned as is shaft 4. However, the tubular shaft 4a is preferably fixed and nonrotating and is supported by two vertical crossarms 18a best shown in FIG. 3. The crossarms 18a are fastened to the underframe and equipped with vertical alignment holes 18b in which a support 180 for the tubular shaft is located by attachment at a convenient height.

At both ends of the tubular shaft 4a, parallel arms 19 of a flattened support are linked for oscillating movement. The parallel arms 19 carry means for distribution of the concrete over the earthen surface previously exposed as well as vibration means for compacting and vibrating a mass of cement to form a coating layer for the channel. The oscillation of the support arms 19 and their attachments is preferably achieved by the use of hydraulic jacks 20 linked to the underframc 18a at one end and to an upwardly extending arm ofthe arms 19 as best shown in FIG. 4. The jacks 20 are preferably operated by hydraulic circulation conducted through flexible tubing 21a proceeding from a deposit where the oil is pumped in through pump 21 which is operated by an electric motor 22 through controls 28.

Two sets of oscillating support arms such as 19 and 19' with one of each side ofa vertical plane 23 which includes the longitudinal axis of the channel is preferably used in order to vibrate and distribute the concrete mass on each side of the surface of the channel at the same time with matched oscillations. Each support arm carries a shaped tray 24 with the same radius of curvature as the surface which is to be coated. Each tray 24 will operate as a slip form with equal separation of thickness between it and the ground to form the desired thickness of concrete coating. Preferably the shaped trays 24 are united to the lower edges ofthe arms 19 and 19 by means of adjustable connections in order to permit inclination of the trays with respect to the arms and permit versatility of the device.

The vibrating means 25 of any known type can be located on and carried on the side of each tray 24. Preferably the vibrating means 25 each have elastic strips 25 which prevent loss of concrete through the edges. As it is necessary that the vibration means function from a horizontal position when the tray is sitting on the bottom of the channel up to a vertical position when the support arms have reached the edges 26 and 26' of the sidewalks in a completely semicircular channel, it is necessary to use a vibrating apparatus which is able to work on curved surfaces of small thickness and with inclinations between 45 and 90. This is best done by the vibrating means described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 528,990 filed Feb. 21, 1966 which matured into US. Pat. No. 3,422,73! dated Jan. 21, 1969. Such devices consist of a metallic ruler which has pellets, rings or fingers extending downwardly to transfer vibrations to a desired depth of concrete and to cushion lateral vibrations. On the side of the vibration means opposite the trays, hoppers for the reception of concrete are mounted as best shown in FIG. 4 at 27. Once the cart 51 is located in a position which is going to be coated with concrete or other means, the tubular shaft 4a is aligned and levelled parallel to the rails 11 with the oscillation means hanging downwardly to carry out the vibration and distribution of concrete at the same time. Each of the sets of supports 19 and 20 is placed with the deepest generatrix of the channel and concrete is poured in through their corresponding hoppers 27 with the electric vibrators of each support being put into action.

When the introduced wet concrete is fluidized in sufiicient quantity due to the vibration, each set of support arms 19 and 19 then begin oscillation means by means of the hydraulic jack, i.e., the support arms move upwardly on either side of the central plane 23 toward the edges of the channel which make the trays 24 operate as mobile slip forms holding the already vibrated concrete until the concrete stops vibrating and is solidified. Thus the passage of the trays as a trowel.

The speed of oscillation can be adjusted as desired by means of the control 28 of the operator.

It is possible to first coat one side of the channel as the right side of the channel as shown in FIG. 4 and then coat the left side. Thus, for example, arms 19 can be first activated to begin with an adjacent coating on the right-hand side. As it moves up, the support arms 19 start to work on the lower coat of the left side. As soon as each side of the channel has been coated and trowelled, the cart is moved axially along its rails to be positioned over the next reach of the channel whereupon operations can be repeated.

Once the coating is carried out by means of the cart 51, additional trowelling can be done by the use of similar carts to do final polishing if desired.

While the method and apparatus of this invention have been described above, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications are possible.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for constructing a channel having a semicircular cross section in the ground,

said apparatus comprising,

a shaft'having a central axis and mounted on a movable cart, means for moving said cart along with said shaft along said central axis,

plural means extending outwardly from said shaft of equal radii and carrying at their ends concrete vibrating and form means for permitting vibration and levelling of underlying concrete,

and oscillating means for moving said plural means from alignment with a vertical plane angularly about said shaft.

2. An apparatus for constructing a channel having a semicircular cross section in the ground in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising,

said oscillating means comprising hydraulic jacks.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said plural means comprise at least two support arms interengaged with said oscillating means for moving said support arms about said shaft independent of each other.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said concrete vibrating means comprises a metallic roller. 

1. An apparatus for constructing a channel having a semicircular cross section in the ground, said apparatus comprising, a shaft having a central axis and mounted on a movable cart, means for moving said cart along with said shaft along said central axis, plural means extending outwardly from said shaft of equal radii and carrying at their ends concrete vibrating and form means for permitting vibration and levelling of underlying concrete, and oscillating means for moving said plural means from alignment with a vertical plane angularly about said shaft.
 2. An apparatus for constructing a channel having a semicircular cross section in the ground in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising, said oscillating means comprising hydraulic jacks.
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said plural means comprise at least two support arms interengaged with said oscillating means for moving said support arms about said shaft independent of each other.
 4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said concrete vibrating means comprises a metallic roller. 